A common problem with the use of garbage cans in an outside area is keeping them upright and where they belong. For example, it is not uncommon that garbage cans are tipped over by wind and storms, by dogs or by vandals.
The aforementioned problem has been addressed before, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,091,342 to Crump and 4,331,310 to Silva. In these two patents a permanent installation has been provided and the clamping mechanism is not adjustable to accommodate garbage cans of various sizes and shapes, and is not removable. For example, the post 6 of the Crump device is embedded in concrete in the ground and is designed to be in place permanently. While this is quite acceptable if the garbage can pickup service will pickup the garbage in the back of the house or at some place where the garbage cans do not detract from the aesthetics of the home, but where garbage pickup service is curbside at the front of the house, then the garbage cans are hardly ever kept there on a regular basis, but are moved curbside on the front of the house only on the day of designated garbage pickup. It is abundantly clear that most consumers would not desire to have a permanent installation of the Crump structure in their front yard because it would detract from the aesthetics of their home.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,175 to Seibel discloses a container clamp which is adjustable, but the adjustment is not through a large enough range to accommodate all of the garbage cans available and furthermore, the Seibel structure is too complex to economically be used for garbage cans. In actuality, it is designed more for retaining oil drums, barrels and other similar structures.
Accordingly, there is a need for a universal garbage can holder which is adjustable, removable and economical to produce.